Top of the World Lounge at Bay Lake Tower at Contemporary Resort - *2 New Parties Added! “Enchantment at the Top” & New “Bound to Be Bad” Dates Added

[tjkraz]

You forgot to add “perks aren’t guaranteed and we plan to start charging for them soon. Also over the years we’ve slowly taken away many perks, soooo”

DVC has been tossing around some sort of elite program for more than a decade. Member perks are the best marketing tool DVC has for direct point sales. If they add any premium tier, it will certainly not replace a basic tier.

Aside from valet parking, what perks have been discontinued?

 

[Sandisw]

DVC has been tossing around some sort of elite program for more than a decade. Member perks are the best marketing tool DVC has for direct point sales. If they add any premium tier, it will certainly not replace a basic tier.

Aside from valet parking, what perks have been discontinued?

I would even add that since I have been an owner, more places have offered the DVC discount for meals.

 

[Jenglish13]

Unfortunately, this is exactly why DVD has made the decisions they have made.

They want people to not only buy direct, but also buy the new resorts which have millions of points still to be sold.

They don’t want you to buy BLT which sold out years ago. So, someone like you had a much harder decision.

But, that is the whole purpose. And DVD does hold all the cards as being the only one who can enhance the product with incidental benefits, which now includes TOTWL.

Of course, no one is going to buy direct just because TOTWL is now a perk, but when listing pros and cons, it has now moved to the direct column only.


For you, the savings has been well worth it to forgo perks and restrictions because you knew BLT is where you wanted to own and it would be crazy to pay that to DVD.

But someone like me and plenty of others, it was worth it to go direct and have those options. Maybe not so much for perks, but for unrestricted points.

I think once DVD began down the road of differentiating between the two, the writing was on the wall that everything would be fair game.

It’s also why this move convinces me even more Poly tower will be a new association with restrictions.

Totally agree with you. And it is fair game but to remove totwl access (esp for BLT owners) is an unnecessary petty and crappy thing to do IMO of course.

 

[J-Dog]

So, I apologize because I probably missed this answer in the past 12 pages.

So - other than the pre-opening party - entrance is free for eligible members, right? So is food/drink then paid on a per item, just like a regular restaurant? Or is there actually a daily entry fee? Or is it prix fixe menu? Or do we not know yet? Thanks!

 

[Jwaire]

Aside from valet parking, what perks have been discontinued?

I'd say the biggest was free park tickets back in the 90's, followed closely by annual passes and then the Tables in Wonderland discount program.

I'm not opposed to a DVC paid perks program—especially if it's reasonable. For years, I've thought DVC should offer an "upgrade" to resale owners like Marriott. Offer resale members the ability to pay $20 per point or whatever to become a "full" member and unlock their points. Easy money.

Additionally, in terms of a premium membership—I travel exclusively with my brother and his family. I don't have children, but I have a niece and nephew. In fact, they're the primary reason I purchased DVC. I take them every year.

I'd love the option to pay an extra $100-$200 per year to allow my family to purchase annual passes, discounted theme park tickets, get the DVC dining and merch discounts, etc without adding them on to my DVC contract. Obviously, there should be a limit. It needs to be reasonable. We can't have DVC members adding 20 people to their diamond memberships.

There's a lot of options for DVC and Parks to consider and members will pay it. We are Disney's most loyal customers, they should offer additional programs. What if DVC diamond members get Genie+ included? Special offers on tours? A quick service (gasp) dining discount?

 

[Sandisw]

So, I apologize because I probably missed this answer in the past 12 pages.

So - other than the pre-opening party - entrance is free for eligible members, right? So is food/drink then paid on a per item, just like a regular restaurant? Or is there actually a daily entry fee? Or is it prix fixe menu? Or do we not know yet? Thanks!

It sounds like it is going to be the same set up as before..paid food and drinks..just limited to eligible members now.

 

[J-Dog]

It sounds like it is going to be the same set up as before..paid food and drinks..just limited to eligible members now.

Thanks, Sandi!

 

[tjkraz]

I'd say the biggest was free park tickets back in the 90's, followed closely by annual passes and then the Tables in Wonderland discount program.

Free park tickets was a sales incentive. It was offered only to buyers in the very early 90s, and was contractually set to expire in 1999.

APs and TIW are programs that were put on hold by Parks & Resorts. DVC doesn't have the power to bring those items back until they are reinstated. In a similar vein, members no longer get discounts at ESPN Club or Disney Quest, but that's not really a DVC issue.

In my humble opinion, DVC has done a pretty good job of taking care of members in the 20 years we've owned. The AP discount was a new offering circa 2005--and there's no reason to think some discount won't continue when/if APs are reinstated. TOTWL was added around 2010. EPCOT lounge and Moonlight Magic in 2016. The all-encompassing merchandise discount started at 10% around 2013-ish and was later raised to 20%. It has gone up to 30% for limited periods. Dining discounts used to be limited to about 20 locations across all of WDW. Now we save at least 10% at nearly all tables service restaurants. Attraction previews, selfie scavenger hunts, photo booths, after-hours party discounts, special theme park ticket offers...

 

[hilltopper152]

It started with only those staying at BLT...it didn't have a good showing and then they opened to all. Prior to the pandemic it was leased to Disney to run and operate which means they took on all the profit and loss.

If it has become a membership perks place...like the Epcot lounge...it means that DVD will be paying money from their own budget...maybe marketing...to help pay for it that they would not have paid when it was open to all members.

So, that could be part of it but I have a feeling we are going to see more hard ticket events...like you mention..as well. But, DVD has obviously been moving in the direction to separate resale buyers from direct buyers, and this may be just another way to do that.

If my dues at BLT support the elevator and infrastructure to it but I cannot go I will be part of many who are ready to cause suit. At some point they could remove a bar or pool from a resort and just call it a "perk".

 

[TraderStitch]

I mean we all pay for the cast areas and sub basements but I'm looking for access there lol

 

[Sandisw]

If my dues at BLT support the elevator and infrastructure to it but I cannot go I will be part of many who are ready to cause suit. At some point they could remove a bar or pool from a resort and just call it a "perk".

Sorry, but the POS is clear that the observation deck and lounge is a commercial unit and as such, owners have no say in its use. Right there in black and white as part of the contract you signed.

Things that are declared as common elements can not be removed from the association. At BLT that includes the pool. So no, they can’t make that a perk.

I realize it is disappointing but owners have not legal case to demand access to the lounge.

Anyone who bought BLT should have been aware of that. And since dues don’t fund the lounge or deck, you have no right to it’s use. It has nothing to do with it being part of the building. It was excluded from the beginning as not being part of what you pay for.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I mean we all pay for the cast areas and sub basements but I'm looking for access there lol

You beat me to it. The freight elevators that housekeeping and others use to service the guest rooms are maintained through dues, so I guess every maid's closet, every mechanical room, and the entire basement should be made accessible as well.

 

[hilltopper152]

Can someone help explain how they are able to call a portion of a building a perk and not allow due paying members to be there? Seems my dues as a owner would cover the parking lot, guest services, elevator, maintenance staff, decor updates. That's why I begin to feel offended that they have the guts to do this and not reduce my cost of dues. We pay to be equal in that resort but we aren't. Perks to me should be separate from the resort itself and what keeps them from making certain bars or pools restricted to direct members. Poly and trader sam's may be next at this rate haha.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Sorry, but the POS is clear that the observation deck and lounge is a commercial and such owners have no say in its use. Right there in black and white.

I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a cost allocation in the commercial space lease that includes some pro-rated amount for common areas, and plumbing, mechanical and electrical maintenance as well.

 

[TraderStitch]

DVC denied access videos gonna be wild on July 12.

 

[Sandisw]

I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a cost allocation in the commercial space lease that includes some pro-rated amount for common areas, and plumbing, mechanical and electrical maintenance as well.

I am sure whatever agreement there is includes costs associated with running the location.

 

[hilltopper152]

You beat me to it. The freight elevators that housekeeping and others use to service the guest rooms are maintained through dues, so I guess every maid's closet, every mechanical room, and the entire basement should be made accessible as well.

Its more the fact that we cover the cost of the real estatate but they are now allowed to discern who's money is more important when we have the same legal obligations. They are making money on our asset with discriminatory access and no return on our investment. It's exclusionary to the population there and takes advantage of the overall expenses we all share.

 

[Sandisw]

Can someone help explain how they are able to call a portion of a building a perk and not allow due paying members to be there? Seems my dues as a owner would cover the parking lot, guest services, elevator, maintenance staff, decor updates. That's why I begin to feel offended that they have the guts to do this and not reduce my cost of dues. We pay to be equal in that resort but we aren't. Perks to me should be separate from the resort itself and what keeps them from making certain bars or pools restricted to direct members. Poly and trader sam's may be next at this rate haha.

It was never declared as something owners had a right to use, and why dues can’t fund it. It’s not part of the vacation ownership plan.

It is a commercial space that is leased out to whomever they want and owners have no say in the agreement or need to approve who used it for what.

ETA: It would be like RIV owners demanding that they have to be allowed to go into Toppolinos and the outside viewing area simply because it’s part of the building. It’s the same thing for TOTWL.


But Here is what is in the POS.

 

[Jenglish13]

If my dues at BLT support the elevator and infrastructure to it but I cannot go I will be part of many who are ready to cause suit. At some point they could remove a bar or pool from a resort and just call it a "perk".

Haha, I love it! Only "eligible" members can go but they have to climb the stairs!

 

[hilltopper152]

Because the dues don’t pay for it and it was never declared as something owners had a right to use.

It is a commercial space that is leased out by the association to whomever they want and owners have no say in the agreement or need to approve who used it for what.

Interesting. Never saw that but if you are correct, I learned something. Still odd it sits on the same land but dodges responsibly sharing cost but maybe it does have a mystery allocation.

Either way I hope it fails no offense to direct owners lol... RIV struggled to sell points with restrictions and hope DVC suffers with this new strategy. Poly will be fun to watch as they piss off that owner base next.

In the end nobody buys direct points suddenly for TOWL when using financial logic but it sure reduces paying customers and pisses people off. Yes I am beyond annoyed with once again another Disney news release.